Food Stamp Use Is Up Sharply

NPR has a story up, “More Americans Hungry For Food Stamps,” about the rise in food stamp use over the past few years. As the economy weakened, people turned to this program to provide for their basic food needs. According to Marilyn Geewax, the author of the story, food stamp use is up 70 percent over the past four year. She writes:

At this time four years ago, before the recession hit, about 27 million people were using food stamps. Today 46 million get help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — what most people call food stamps — which is roughly 15 percent of the population.

The problem is compounded by the fact that food prices have been rising even though wages have remained stagnant.

Included with the story is an audio link so that it possible to listen to the NPR report.